The invention relates to a method and system for providing access between clients and a server, and more particularly, relates to a method and system for providing fault tolerant access between network clients and a dual port network server.
In recent years, network systems have been widely implemented to provide connections for computers in distant areas and to provide Internet series. In a typical network system, a WAN (wide area network) concentrator is used as a diskless network server that connects computers at a first area to those at a second area. A plurality of network clients are also connected to the WAN concentrator. LAN (local area network) segments, each comprising a group of computers, are connected to the WAN concentrator via a network adapter. Each LAN segment may be connected to another LAN segment at another place via the WAN concentrator.
In a typical conventional network system, failure of any process or component on a network connection path, e.g., a failed Ethernet adapter, a failed TCP/IP process, etc., can cause a failure in network connection. As a result, the communication on the network may be interrupted or terminated. This failure could cause serious problems, especially in situations where it is critical to maintain the network connector, e.g., in airlines operations and other on-line transactions.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method and system that provides fault tolerant network connections so that a single point of failure in a process or a component, for example, would not affect the network connections.